Curator
Emerson WANG

Spatial Design
TAGather Goods/ Andrew HUANG
 

08/02 15:00
• Opening & Lecture
Curator Emerson WANG x Founder of TAGather Goods Andrew HUAN
講題：霍剛不惑，年輕創新的無限啟發

08/22 15:00
• Master Talk & Exhibition Catalogue Launch
HO Kan x LEE Zai-Qian
Host/ CHENG Nai-Min
講題 硬底子-霍剛與李再鈐的首度對談：幾何抽象後面不為人知的…

09/12 15:00
• Artist Talk of Geometric Abstract Art
HO Kan x HU Kun-Jung x CHEN Shiau-Peng
Host/ Emerson WANG
講題抽象世界的精神靈動

Vision in Space: HO Kan Unlimited

Text / Emerson WANG

Ho Kan’s journey in life comprises innumerous poetic chapters, and his art is the manifestation of his life. With serenity and inner clarity in life, the artist contemplates on life and reflects on himself. Through his life, we can see what artistic practice really means; through his art, we can perceive the endlessness that life can offer.

The colors, lines and geometric forms in his paintings richly convert two-dimensional visual images into three-dimensional spaces. If one views his work as painting, one could only be an artwork; however, what constitutes his art is his construction of the most plentiful spaces, environments and life philosophy with the simplest elements in an unforced, well-controlled manner. Spectators must first free their minds to explore and see how the artist – already in his eighties and nurtured by both Eastern and Western cultures – can cultivate such graceful ease in this world. Whether drawing his inspiration from Chinese calligraphy or Western modern abstraction, he can always integrate both genres effortlessly; in short, his work embodies his idiosyncratic temperament and character as an artist.

As time flows, life has naturally left traces, whereas the passing years have encompassed all the touching moments and memories in life. In turn, the artist has enriched the visual cosmos with his creation. Featuring Ho’s new works made in the last couple of years, this exhibition adopts interlaced timelines and layered spatial sites, leading spectators to traverse, roam and sojourn in the spaces formed with horizontal and vertical lines as well as color planes. The audience can perceive the unadorned refinedness of Ho’s work while co-creating the warmth of the space and heart-touching moments with the artist.

There is no uniformity in this world; only differences exist. Such “differences” cannot be recognized rationally and can only be perceived subconsciously or through the power felt. The genuine “newness” comes from real “repetitions” – such as the concept of “differentiation” proposed by Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz, the minimal difference that defies quantification. The appreciation of Ho’s work derives from a similar depth and pleasure. As he continually repeats the ordinariness in the images, the seeming repetitions or similarities in truth originate from the universality that governs our life experiences. Regarding this, the artist does not choose to be a preacher; he is a philosopher who studies life.

The Arabic number “88” visualizes a sense of encompassing well-roundedness with its curves. It can be viewed as an imprint of Ho’s life at the moment. Turning the number “8” ninety degrees, it becomes the mathematic symbol of infinity – it conveys the “infinitas” (Latin for “limitless extent”) of Ho’s art. His creation has consistently validated the inclusiveness, diversity and dynamics of life, as well as the boundlessness and infinity of art.